Incinerator



May 11, 1954 J. K. BLUM Erm. 2,678,009

INCINERATOR Filed April 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fl G. 2

INVENTOR. JosEPu K. BLUM will' QOGER (7- BLUM DONALD J- L-UM BY May 11, 1954 J. K. BLUM ETAL INCINERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1950 FlG.

HIM

FIG. 4.

INVENTORS JOSEPH K. BLUM Rosen. 6. BWM BY DONALD J- BLUM Wha@ w ATTORNEYS Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INCINERATOR Application April 28, 1950, Serial No. 158,648

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in incinerator installations for buildings and in particular to a novel type of furnace structure for an incinerator having a separate feeding chute and gas discharge flue. This application is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending U. S. Patent application, Serial No. 137,352, led January '7, 1950.

Our aforementioned patent application disclosed a furnace having artificial means for creating a diverting draft or air current in an incinerator of the chute type in which a single chute serves as the feeding chute as well as the gas discharge flue. Our present invention is concerned with similar means as applied to an incinerator in which the feeding chute and flue are separated. In incinerators of the latter type, it is a frequent occurrence that combustion gases and even flames are discharged upwardly through the feeding chute, and consequently cause annoyance to the user, or may even be dangerous.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for directing a stream of cold air across the bottom of the feeding chute and into the incinerator furnace, said air stream forming an air shield or screen which prevents the hot gases and flames from the incinerator from rising up said feeding chute. The cold air also cools the bottom of said chute so as to reduce the chimney action of the feeding chute and the tendency of said chute to draw gases therethrough. The draft from the discharge flue is, however, left unaffected so that it may draw off all of the combustion gases from the furnace.

Another object of the invention is to provide an incinerator furnace in which the refuse and combustion gases are subjected to an auxiliary flame regulated to maintain a desired furnace temperature which is sufficient to cause the refuse to burn thoroughly and is also sufficient to cause the gases given off in the process of combustion to be completely oxidized.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an incinerator furnace in which the combuston gases are caused to take a devious course through the furnace to the flue or chute, past baflles and around corners, invorder to insure complete combustion of the gases, as well as to cause the major amount of ash to be deposited before it can be carried up the flue or chute.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate several modifications of the invention which are presented by way of illustration and not in a limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing an incinerator furnace constructed according to the invention and communicating with feeding and discharge chute which are broken away for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section of another type of chute arrangement in which the invention may be incorporated.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the invention applied to another type of incinerator.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing a simplified type of incinerator furnace in which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing an incinerator of the type shown in Fig. l, but including additional features and a modified arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional vertical sectional view, taken at right angles to Fig. l and showing the nozzle in elevation.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, the incinerator shown therein has a furnace I0 which communicates at one end with a gas discharge flue l I, and at the other end with a feeding chute I2.

The furnace I0 is generally of the type shown and described in our aforementioned patent application, Serial No. 137,352. The furnace Ill, flue Il, and chute I2 may have inner walls I3 made of fire brick, and outer walls Hl made of ordinary brick or other suitable material. The flue II and chute III need not be lined along the entire vertical surface.

The furnace I0 has an upstanding partition wall I5 which divides the lower interior portion of said furnace into a refuse collection chamber IS, and a gas mixing and combustion chamber Il. A grate IB extends horizontally across the refuse collection chamber IS in parallel spaced relationship with the floor of said chamber I6. This grate I8 normally holds a supply of refuse R which is dropped down the feeding chute I2.

A baille wall I9 serves as the outer wall of furnace I0' and also as a wall of an uptake or connecting flue 26 which is located adjacent the chamber I'l. The lower end of said baflie wall I contains a gas passage or opening 2l which connects said chamber I'I and ue 20. The uptake flue 20 extends vertically above the top of the furnace I0, and communicates with a transverse extension or conduit 22, which in turn communi' cates with the bottom of the gas discharge flue I I. The wall of transverse conduit 22 may be encased in a metal pipe or sleeve 23 for increased stability and strength.

The furnace IIJ is also provided with an externally-located fuel burner (not shown) whose nozzle 2S extends through the wall of furnace I into the interior thereof. The nozzle 24 is positioned to throw a flame over substantially the entire inner area of the furnace, particularly into the refuse collection chamber IB and the gas mixing and combustion chamber I'I.

An air blower 25 is located exteriorly of the incinerator. The blower 25 feeds through a pipe 25 t0 a plenum chamber 2I located adjacent the lower end of the feeding chute I2. The plenum chamber Z'I has a nozzle 28 which extends through an opening 29 in the wall of the chute I2 and is directed into the interior of the bottom of chute I2. The nozzle 28 is preferably as wide as the chute i2 so that it extends the full width of chute I2. The nozzle 28 is pivotable in a vertical plane so that the angle of the stream of air across the chute I2 may be varied. For this purpose also, the opening 29 in the wall of chute I2 is enlarged. Y

The uptake ue 2e is optionally provided with a damper 3i] for controlling 'the draft within the incinerator, if necessary. The provision of such a damper will depend upon the requirements of the particular building in which the installation is to be made.

The feeding chute I2 and gas discharge ilue II are contiguous, and have a common vertical wall 3| which effectively separates the two so that air or gas cannot pass from one to the other. The gas discharge iiue II extends vertically the entire height of the building and communicates with a chimney 32 at the top of the building. The chimney 32 is capped by the usual screen 33.

The feeding chute I2 also extends vertically the entire height of the building and communicates with the chimney 32. The bottom end of the chute I2 communicates directly with the top of the refuse collection chamber IE5. Said chute I2 has a number of inlet openings 35 located vertically one above the other, with one such opening 35 being provided at each floor of the building. Each opening 35 is provided with the usual door 36. For convenience, only one opening 35 and door` 35 is illustrated in Fig. l. When the occupant of any floor wishes to dispose of garbage or rubbish, he opens the respective door 36 and drops the refuse down the chute I2 and into the furnace, the refuse landing and accumulating on the grate It in the refuse collection chamber I5.

At suitable times as refuse accumulates on the grate i8, the burner is red and the flame emitted from the nozzle 24 will thoroughly dry said refuse R. After the refuse dries it is subjected to further action of the flame so that it is thoroughly burned.

When the blower 25 is actuated, a steady stream of air at room temperature is directed across the lower end of chute I2. This stream of air forms an effective air shield or screen across the bottom of chute I2 which prevents the hot gases in the furnace I0 from rising directly up the chute This air shield is made possible by the difference in weight of equal volumes of the hot gases within the furnace I0 and the relatively cold air supplied by the blower 25. It is well-known that if a heavy gas is placed above a light gas, the heavy gas will sink, forcing aside the light gas. It is also common knowledge that to confine a heavy uid such as water, it is necessary to en- 4 close the fluid at its bottom and sides, but not necessary to confine the top. Similarly, to confine a light fluid such as a light gas, it is necessary to enclose the uid at its top and sides, but not necessary to conne the bottom.

Thus, the air emitted by the blower 25, being at room temperature, is denser than the heated gases generated in the furnace IIE, so that the air sinks down the chute I2 and into the furnace IIB, preventing the heated gases in the furnace from rising up the chute, and forcing aside these gases. The heated gases must then seek another outlet and will be obliged to follow any properly designated channel to a discharge stack. In the furnace I0, the heated combustion gases in seeking an outlet through the gas discharge chute II, are made to travel through a devious course through the interior of said furnace, so that the gases may be treated in order to insure complete combustion, and also to remove solid particles carried by said gases.

As the cold air sinks down the chute I2 and enters the refuse collection chamber IB of furnace I0, it is heated by the name of the fuel burner and becomes a source of combustion air to assist in the effective combustion of the refuse R. Additional combustion air can, if desired, be introduced through an air inlet opening 31 which is located at the lower end of chamber I8 beneath grate I8.

The hot gases generated by the burning refuse in collection chamber I6 are effectively confined by the roof and sides of the furnace I0, and by the air seal across the bottom of chute I2. However, as was previously indicated, when the denser atmospheric air introduced through blower nozzle 2B sinks down chute I2, it forces aside the less dense combustion gases, and their only means of escape is through connecting flue 20 to gas discharge flue II.

The combustion gases within furnace I5 are also subjected to an additional force, the chimney action or drawing action of the gas discharge iue II. This action is particularly strong in flue Ii but virtually non-existent in chute I2 for several reasons:

In the first place, it is Well-known that the natural draft of a chimney is derived from the difference pressure produced by the difference in weight between the relatively hot gases inside the chimney and an equivalent column of cooler atmospheric air. Since the hot gases in the furnace I5 are directed to the gas discharge iue I I, a draft is created in flue II, which draft once created, further serves in drawing the hot gases through the furnace I to said flue II.

In addition, it is also common knowledge that a cold stack does not draw except in the presence of a rather strong wind. The air stream introduced by the blower nozzle 2B not only forms an effective seal across the bottom of chute I2, but at the same time keeps the bottom of chute I2 cool. There is therefore little, if any, tendency for the chute I2 to draw, as compared to flue II.

The hot gases generated by the burning refuse R must, therefore, leave the furnace I8 by the only outlet, the gas discharge flue I I In owing to said iiue SI, these gases follow the course indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The gases enter the combustion chamber II where they are subjected further to the flame emitted by the fuel burner nozzle 24, so that they are completely decomposed and rendered odorless. This complete decomposition also eliminates the discharge of smoke from the incinerator. Complete decomposition is made possible since all of the combustion gases are caused to travel across the length of the furnace i9, instead of being allowed to escape directly up the intake chute l2, as often happens in conventional incinerators.

The combustion gases and heated air leave the interior of the furnace iii and enter the uptake and coruiecting :due 2d through the gas passage 2i. Any ash, debris, or other solid matter carried by the draft from the burning pile of refuse R across the top of partition wall l5, tends to travel in a straight path, so that its momentum carries it into contact with the baffle wall I9. This solid matter strikes the baiiie wall iii and falls to the bottom of the chamber Il where it accumulates below the gas passage 2i. An access door 3d at the bottom of chamber Il enables this solid matter to be removed at suitable intervals.

Thus, a portion of the ash and debris carried by the draft is deposited at the bottom of chamber Il. To aid in this removal of solid matter, the gas passage 2i may be made in the form of checker-work, so that the draft must follow an even more c`-cuitous path. As the air current enters the bottom of uptake flue 2s, there are two changes of direction tending to drop the ash and dirt out of suspension in the gas stream and down to the bottom of chamber Il and uptake flue This debris may be removed, when desired, through an access door 39 at the bottom of flue 2G.

The air current then flows through the uptake flue 2i), transverse conduit 22, and gas discharge flue ii, to the roof of the building where it is discharged through the chimney 32. Because of the circuitous path which the draft in the furnace i@ is forced to follow, and because of the action of the name upon the combustion gases in chamber il, the gas discharged from the chimney 32 is substantially decomposed so that it is odorless, substantially smokeless, and in addition is filtered of substantially all solid matter. Thus, three serious nuisances inherent in the use of conventional incinerators are eliminated.

Since the chute i2 is used for the feeding of garbage and the like to the incinerator, bits of garbage clinging to the side of said chute I2 will tend to decompose, causing disagreeable odors, and also attracting vermin. It is thus desirable, for sanitary reasons, to pass hot gases through. chute i2, in order to eliminate these odors to flush vermin. For this purpose, a damper it is located within the transverse oonduit 22. This damper may be closed at suitable times, and the furnace fired without operating blower 25, thus causing name and hot air to travel up chute i2. Damper Iii) may also be used to control the draft in furnace Iii.

Fig. 2 shows a diiferent type of flue and chute construction which may used with the furnace just described. The intake chute Iza and the gas discharge flue Hc are again contiguous and are separated by a common wall 3 ia. The chute 12a, however, does not lead directly to the chimney 32a, but is closed at its top. The upper end of said chute lia communicates with the flue lia through an opening :il in the wall Sia. The opening li serves as an outlet through which gases may escape from the chute i2a to the ilue ila and out the chimney 32a, when the damper liti is closed in order to flush the chute 12a, as previously described.

Fig. 3 shows the air screen or shield of the invention as applied to an incinerator having a top feed chute of any desired length. This type 6, of incinerator is used mostly in commercial es"-V tablishments, hospitals, and in the basements of buildings. The incinerator comprises a furnace 5S which is similar to the furnace it of Fig. l. Furnace 5B communicates with an intake chute 5l at one end and with a gas discharge ilue 52 at the other end. rThe intake chute 5l extends vertically to the floor of a building and has a door 53 which is fiush with said door and covers the top of said chute 5i. Since it is necessary to open the door 53 and bend over said opened door in order to deposit refuse into the chute iii, it is particularly important to prevent hot air, gases, and flame from escaping up chute 5i. This is accomplished by utilizing the same means as previously described, including an identical blower 25 and nozzle E8. Since the furnace is substantially identicai with the furnace it of Fig. l., its common parts are identically numbered. It is to be noted, that in this type of incinerator, the chute 5! is completely separated from the flue 52 and is well spaced therefrom. The path of the air current produced by the blower is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3.

Fig. e shows a conventional furnace 6G which does not contain the baffle wall, gas combustion chamber, etc., shown in the furnace iii of Fig. 1. rEhe intake chute iii and the gas discharge flue 62 are contiguous and are of the type shown in either Fig. l or Fig. 2. The chute @i and flue 62 both communicate with the top of said furnace Sii at adjacent points. The refuse R which is dropped through chute Si accumulates on a grate t3 across the entire length of said furnace An externally-located blower 54 forces a stream of air to a plenum chamber t5 and thence through a nozzle Et which extends through an opens ing 6'! in the outer wall of chute i. An air shield or' screen is thus set up across the lower end of chute 6i, preventing hot gases and name from escaping through said chute ti, in the manner previously described. The path of the air current created by the nue @2 is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 shows a furnace it which is identical in construction to the furnace iii of Fig. 1, eX- cept that it communicates at each end with a feeding chute il and gas discharge flue l2, which are completely separated and spaced from each other, similar to the chute and flue arrangement shown in Fig. 3. The blower forces air through the nozzle 2S which extends through an opening 'i3 in the outer wall of chute l' i, to maintain. an air shield there-across. The chamber il and the bottom of flue 72 may contain respective troughs l which are filled with water so that the ash and other debris will collect and be held. therein, said troughs lli being removabie for emptying the accumulated ash and debris. A series of water pipes i5 may extend through the interior of the flue l2, so that the hot air and gases escaping through said flue i2 may be utilized to heat the water in said pipes "i5, A screen i6 may be diagonally disposed across the bottom of flue 'i2 in order to insure that any ash or other debris not already collected in the troughs 'M will not rise through the flue l2.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is olovious that numerous additions, changes and omissions may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

1. An incinerator comprising a furnace, a gas discharge flue communicating with the interior of said furnace at one end thereof, a separate upwardly extending feeding chute also communicating with the interior of said furnace at the other end thereof, a nozzle extending transversely the entire width of said chute along one side thereof and having its opening directed transversely toward the other side of said chute, an external blower operatively associated with said nozzle to introduce an unbroken sheet of air into the feeding chute an appreciable distance above the bottom end thereof and to direct said sheet of air downwardly across the lower end of said feeding chute, an upstanding wall within said furnace which divides the lower portion of the furnace interior into a refuse chamber and a gas combustion chamber, and a fuel burner positioned to eject a flame into said gas combustion chamber and refuse accumulating chamber, said furnace having a baffle wall which Separates said gas combustion chamber from said gas discharge flue, said baille wall having at least one opening therein, said current of air having a lower temperature than the gases generated by the burning refuse within the furnace, said sheet of air covering substantially the; entire cross-sectional area of said feeding chute and forming a screen across the bottom of said feeding chute to prevent said gases from rising up said chute and thereby cause said gases to take a devious route through said furnace, over said upstanding wall, through said gas combustion chamber, and through the opening in said ba-fiie wall to said gas discharge ue.

2. An incinerator comprising a furnace, a gas discharge flue an upwardly extending feeding chute and a fuel burner positioned toeject a name into the interior of said furnace, gas discharge flue and feeding chute being adjacent and being sealed from each other along substantially their entire height, said feeding chute communicatingdirectly with one end of said furnace, said gas discharge fiue having a lower angular extension which extends horizontally along the top of said furnace and vertically along the side of said furnace and communicates with the bottom of said furnace, said furnace having an upright wall which divides the lower portion thereof into a refuse collection chamber and a gas combustion chamber, said fuel burner being located to eject its name into said refuse collection chamber and gas combustion chamber, said gas combustion chamber having a wall which separates it from` said flue extension, said wall having a gas passage at the lower end thereof, said incinerator also having blower means which includes a horizontally-elongated nozzle opening into one side of the lower end of said chute and accumulating l 8 extending transversely the entire width of said chute, said nozzle having its opening transversely directed toward the other side of said chute to create an air screen across the width of the lower end of said feeding chute, said air screen preventing the gas generated by the burning refuse in said` furnace from rising up said feeding chute, and thereby causing said gas to travel across said furnace, and up said furnace to said gas discharge flue, whereby said gas is subjected to the flame discharged by said fuel burner in said gas combustion chamber, and is caused to follow a generally circuitous route from said gas combustion chamber to said gas discharge flue.

3. An incinerator comprising a furnace, a gas discharge fiue communicating with the interior of said furnace at one end thereof, a separate upwardly extending feeding chute communicating with the interior of said furnace at one end thereof, a discharge nozzle opening into one side of the lower end of said chute and extending transversely the entire width of the chute, and means operatively associated with the nozzle for introducting a current of air through said nozzie, said nozzle being transversely directed toward the other side of said chute to produce an air stream which flows across the bottom crosssectional area of said chute and thence into the furnace.

i. An incinerator according to claim 3 in which the feeding chut-e is closed at its top end, said chute communicating adjacent its upper end with said gas discharge flue.

5. An incinerator according to claim 3 in which said gas discharge flue and feeding chute are adjacent and sealed from each other along substantially their entire length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 13,873 Gilman Dec. l, 1855 444,631 Goetz Jan. 13, 1891 713,288 Cummings Nov. 11, 1902 805,295 Hofmann Nov. 21, 1905 830,974 DeCarie Sept. 1l, 1906 1,059,787 Uhde Apr. 22, 1913 1,315,582 Stacy Sept. 9, 1919 1,523,560 Prescott Jan. 20, 1925 1,755,027 Saha Apr. 15, 1930 1,772,713 Howle Aug. 12, 1930 1,859,300 Krenz May 24, 1932 1,995,723 VanDenberg Mar. 26, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 414,272 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1934 

